Dirty Little Secrets
by Kara D
Summary: River stumbles upon a medication, one that makes it impossible for you to lie, what happens when she slips Mal and Inara a dose?
1. Kortraphine

Disclaimer:

The author of the following fan fiction would like to make the following disclaimer:

These Joss Whedon inspired stories are the result of someone's sad lack of social life and her best friend's equally sad lack of social life. In no way are the characters or scenarios depicted supposed to be demeaning or humiliating in any way to any persons, living or dead, and are based solely on the professional creations of the god known on our humble planet "Earth that was" as Joss Whedon.

Should someone take offense to this or any other "Big Bad" fan fictions, please contact "The Big Bad" for a full refund and lobotomy. Also known as Alyxx.

Chapter 1

"Lies" River cried out suddenly, "All of them: lies!" She threw down her fork and leapt up from the table.

"River, wait!" Simon followed right behind her, nearly knocking over Inara, who was coming into the galley from her shuttle.

"What's wrong with her now?" complained Jayne, as he shoveled in a forkful of the apple pie that Kaylee had managed to whip up with the remaining apples and protein supplements (essentially it was what they had just eaten for dinner).

"Who's to know," Mal said solemnly, silently admiring Inara's beauty and grace despite the less than glamorous setting she and the rest of the crew lived in. "Inara, wasn't expecting to see you for a bit now, did one of your clients bale when he saw your rates, or was there another ball planet side that you just couldn't resist not taking me to? We all know how well I do at your parties."

"Neither" Inara replied, trying to sound contemptful, but that was very difficult when she had deep emotions for the man in front of her, "Obviously you've lost your sense of time along with your latest cargo. Once again, Mal, what _was_ the last cargo you actually delivered, dolls, right? With big, wobbly heads?"

"You just had to bring it up didn't you?" Mal answered, "Every time we lose cargo, you just have to bring up the dolls. I mean at least we got paid for that last shipment."

"What was it the third job with the little wobbly headed dolls?" Inara asked with a scoff.

"Hey, those dolls were a huge hit," Mal said defensively, "_And_ the coin was good, and that's what matters."

"Yeah, I thought we was gonna do another go-round with them dolls next stop at Persephone," Jayne added, "At least we get paid for them."

"Mal, I've got a call for you up here" Vera called over the intercom.

"Be up there in a sec" Mal replied, straightening out his jacket, then looked over his shoulder for one last glimpse at Inara, who had her back turned and was talking to Kaylee.

River was hiding in the infirmary of all places, holding a bottle of Kortraphine and whispering about lies and secrets.

"River, what do you have there?" asked Simon, reaching for the bottle.

"Mal, doesn't know what he wants… Yes he does… she doesn't know what she wants… he does… he is…" she whispered staring intently at the bottle, but keeping it out of Simon's reach, "She's trapped… can't get out… like a fly caught in a web… doesn't know that she's the spider too… like a black widow… eats her mate… takes the money… no commitment…"

"River, what are you talking about?" Simon asked, again reaching to take the bottle, "River, did you use that?"

"No, silly… I know what I want… but I don't… no… this is for them… they don't know the real them… don't know the truth" River replied, once again jerking the bottle out of Simon's reach.

"River, what's in the bottle?"

"Kortraphine… the handy dandy truth candy…" she giggled at her rhyme, showing Simon the bottle finally, "one drop… and it all comes out… the not lies… the true Mal… the true Inara… today is the day that we meet the real people… like Shan Yu…" she then collapsed into inaudible muttering.

"River…" Simon began.

"Or maybe I'll slip it on you… you and Kaylee… no power in the 'verse can stop me… no bits of apple today… not on your bed… not on mine… I am the girl… not the monster… not the gorram doll… I am River."

"Yes you are" Simon replied wrapping his baby sister in a hug.

"Badger, didn't know you knew how to work with such hi-tech equipment," Mal said to the computer screen that now had the image of Badger, the "business man", on it.

"Yeah, it's a bit of a miracle, that," Badger replied with a grungy grin, "You see, the guy that I had finish that job you dropped brought me up to speed on my equipment, see? Guy calls his self 'Mr. Universe'. Funny ol' bloke he is; says he knows you and Zoë, name mean anything to you?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact it does, especially considering the fact that he won't leave his equipment to save the world, how is it that you got him to finish that job when I've still got the cargo sitting in Serenity's belly right this very moment?" Mal asked darkly, "And I do know for a fact that Mr. Universe wouldn't leave his equipment for a rodent like yourself."

"Well now, sounds like you and me have ourselves two separate men," Badger replied, "and how is it that my man delivered me my cargo three days ago, and yet it's still sitting in that piece of gose' ship of yours?"

"I'm sure I haven't got the slightest idea," Mal said nonchalantly, "It's been a pleasure, Badger, but I really do need to get back to my ship, so if you don't mind… piss off." At that Mal ended the link and called everyone up on the bridge.

"You called, sir" Zoë said once she got up onto the bridge and into her dearly departed husband's seat.

"I did, actually. It seems that Badger got himself a new smuggler, calls himself 'Mr. Universe'," Mal began, "Now, we all know _the_ Mr. Universe has his little quirks, he's especially known for the one where he's dead. Which begs the questions, who is this new self proclaimed 'Mr. Universe', what's he got on our guy, and why's he running around as our guy?"

"Uh, Mal, since we know that it's _not_ the real Mr. U, then why's we talking about it?" Jayne put in, "I mean, we've got the cargo, but this guy got our money, shouldn't we be talkin about that instead of who he's pretendin' to be?"

"Well," Kaylee followed, "It could be that he's that operative… he knew Mr. Universe…"

"Absolutely, Kaylee," Mal replied, " And if that's the case, then we're all in trouble again. Now, Vera, you set course for Persephone, we're gonna meet Badger, show him the real cargo, and maybe get a look at this so-called 'Mr. Universe', alright?"

"Sorry, Captain," Simon said abruptly as he jogged up to the bridge, "River was hiding, and I couldn't find her. What'd I miss?"

"Not much, just that we're gonna be settin' down on Persephone in a few days' time, thought everyone should know." Mal answered."

"He's lying!" River said in a playful, sing-song voice.

"River!" Simon objected.

"Excuse me?" Mal asked, taken aback, "I am not lying. Where'd she get that, Doc?"

"Who's to know, running around with the great doll smugglers," Inara put in almost drunkly.

"She's lying too!" River sang, "Spiders caught in their own web, can't get out…" and then she ran from the bridge with Simon once again right behind her, and Kaylee after him.

"Okay, then, now that that excitements over, let's get with the setting course to Persephone, Vera," Mal said after Inara had stalked out, "Zoë, could you go check on the kids, make sure they don't kill each other, and… I'll… well… I'll go do my captainy… things."

Author's Note: Actually, the author couldn't be here and she'd like all of you to know that reviewing is the only way to produce more of the story...snerks Okay! It's really the half bottle of vodka and jello shot that do the work. But...bottle is empty! AHHH!


	2. Answer Me This

Chapter 2

"Oh, Inara, why do you do this to me?" Mal pleaded with the photo he held before him, and took another drink from the bottle of whiskey in his hand, "You tease me, spin me about, so I can't tell where I'm going. Why?"

"Goodness Mal, what is your problem?" Inara begged of her picture of Mal that sat above her monitor as she drank deeply of the wine that Kaylee had made and left to age in her shuttle, "You treat me like you care, but act like you couldn't care less. Why can't you just come right out and say it. I didn't let _her_ kiss me, I'll tell you that right now… _I_ kissed _you_… why can't you see that?"

"Maybe it is better this way, her leaving and all" Mal softly admitted, finishing the bottle of whiskey, and tossing it on the floor to join the other two bottles, "She probably did just kiss Yo-saffra-bitch… or what ever her name is…she wouldn't have kissed you, Malcolm, she's a beautiful, smart, business woman, and you're a… petty thief." He opened a bottle of Scotch and took a swig.

"Mal, I'm so sorry," Inara cried, taking another drink from her bottle, "You're not a dishonest, lowly, petty thief… you work… you do honest work… my whole life is a lie!"

"Inara… sweet, sweet Inara… I'm sorry I ever held you back…" Mal confided in his framed beloved, "I won't keep you from leaving… it should be your choice… not mine…"

"Mal…" she said tearfully, "I can't leave… so I'm coming to you."

She took one last gulp of her wine and walked out the door of her shuttle with a determined air about her, and headed for Mal's bunk. As she drew nearer to the door, there wasn't a doubt in her mind that this was the right thing to do, and never did she even ponder the possibility that it might be the alcohol in her system that was causing her to do such a thing. She came to the door and knocked. She heard glass break and cursing (in Chinese), and then Mal called that she could come in. She opened the door and entered the bunk, expecting to see a broken bottle on the floor and Mal gushing blood. Instead she saw a broken photo frame, with glass all over the floor, and a picture of herself cradled in Mal's palms lovingly. He dropped the picture and stood up when he saw it was her.

"Mal…" Inara began, her words crystal clear, her gaze truthful, thanks to a dose of Kortraphine administered by River in her wine, "I think I love you. I can't deny it anymore, you enchanted me that first day on the ship, and I can't stop thinking about you…" He put a finger to her lips, and then kissed them.

She kissed him back, and for a whole thirty seconds, which stretched on for a lifetime, all their worries disappeared. Then they separated slowly, enjoying the presence of each other.

"Inara, I'm sorry…" Mal started to say, he couldn't deny the truth that was spilling from his lips, thanks to River's little stunt with the Kortraphine in his whiskey, "I should never have held you back from your job, or your life, I've been a selfish (bastard in Chinese), and I'm sorry…"

She scoffed, "My life… no… it's not mine any more… it never was much of a life… being paid to give someone what they couldn't earn… it was all a lie…" She began sobbing into his shoulder, he held her close, comforting her, and he gently wiped the tears from her face then cupped it in his hand.

"Inara, what're we going to do?" Mal asked, "How would this ever work?"

"It wouldn't" she replied only too truthfully, Kortraphine was a cruel thing that made everything all too clear, "But we could enjoy it while it lasts."

"That would work for a while, but…" he began to say.

This time Inara silenced him by pressing her lips to his and inconspicuously working him toward the bed. By the time he noticed that they had moved, he was against the bed with Inara firmly set against his chest. He slowly sat down and leaned back, she then laid down beside him with a soft hand across his chest, her head on his shoulder. They lied there, listening to the whir of the engine and the slow and steady breathing of one another.

"You deserve better," Mal said abruptly, shattering the serene silence that had encased them in their own little world.

"No I don't," Inara replied looking up into those sad eyes that sparkled from three bottles of whiskey and half a bottle of scotch, and she knew that her eyes must have the same drunken sheen to them from her bottle of wine, but it didn't matter, because she knew that everything was as it should be.

"I don't deserve you," he retorted knowing fully that she would quickly contradict him.

"Why don't you deserve me?" she asked, her eyes pleading for him to take her then and there.

"I just… don't," he told her, realizing the plea in Inara's eyes, but he didn't feel man enough to give it to her, he turned away.

"I don't care about your qualifications, Malcolm," she said sternly, taking his face in her hands, "I choose whomever I wish to choose. Qualifications have nothing to do with it."

"You say that, but you know it's not true," Mal interjected.

"I don't think I could lie to you right now, Mal," she replied softly, knowing to be perfectly true.

"Then answer me this: do you love me?"

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Give it up to Alyxx. She has yet to give me the heads up on what to do. :) I believe I will get the ring around chapter 9, which! which, has already been written up to. If you want to get ahold of her yourself...

alyxxdugg (at) yahoo (dot) com


	3. Panties and Tears

Chapter 3

"Vera," Jayne rolled over and looked at the warrior woman he had spared just two weeks before, "We need to talk…"

"If you start this conversation with 'About last night', I'll shoot you," Vera said to a half-naked Jayne defiantly, "Just because we shared a moment doesn't mean anything, okay, we both just had a little too much to drink, that's it."

"Look, V, it wasn't just a moment, it was more like two hours," he replied harshly, "and if that was nothing, then what's this?" He got up, grabbed her around the waist and kissed her hard.

"That was also nothing," she told him, disregarding the pure emotion on his face by looking at the big black gun on his bright yellow shirt, "Look, Jayne, _luv_, we can't keep doing this, okay? Remember how it was for Zoë? I may not have been there for it all, but I met her after the fact, and I don't want that to happen to either one of us, alright?" she reverted back to a stern voice and looked him in the eye, "Now, for the final time, where the hell are my knickers?"

"They're right here," he taunted, pulling a pair of delicately laced black and pink panties out of his back pocket, "And if you want them back, I want to hear three words come out of your mouth: 'I want you'."

"Not happening." At that, Vera turned on her heel, pulled down the steps, and left Jayne's bunk, leaving in her wake an icy emptiness.

"Mal, what are we going to do?" Inara asked, "I mean, we can't seriously think that this is going to work out."

"Who cares," Mal replied dreamily, "You said so yourself last night, we should enjoy it while it lasts."

"Mal, what about my job?" she whimpered, "There's no way we could pull this off."

"Who's to know what the future holds for us," Mal reassured her, stroking her long, wavy black hair with just the tips of his worn and calloused fingers, "But I figure we stick with what we know: I love you, you say you love me, you say you can't lie to me, I know I can't lie to you, especially after last night, and you're going to have to juggle your job alongside our little thing."

"Mal, I don't think this is just a little thing between us, it never has been," Inara told him, "I just wouldn't be able to help but feel at least a little guilty about sleeping with other men while still being devoted to you."

"I could be one of your clients," Mal remarked hopefully, "Goodness knows I can find the coin…"

"No, Mal," Inara said softly, "You'd need to register, and everything else, and then you'd have to go through the long process of working your way through the house before you could get to me, because I am at the top of the Companion registry. It would take too long, and would be too much work."

"Well, then…what are the rules on dating?" he asked with hope in his eyes.

"They're complicated" she replied, "And that would also take a long time to be cleared with the Head of House."

"We could keep it a secret…" his voice was still hopeful.

"I guess we'll have to," Inara leaned back onto his shoulder and traced her fingers along his chest, thinking of what it would be like to be free of Companionship. "I know this is very cliché, but… never mind…"

"No, I want to know, what's on your mind?" Mal urged, taking her hand in his.

"That's just it," she said blushing, "What are you thinking about?"

"You know the answer," he assured her, gazing into her deep brown eyes.

"I know, but I like hearing you say it," she said, slipping her hand out of Mal's to tousle his soft brown hair, then kissed him slowly.

"Vera, damn it!" Jayne threw the panties on the ground defiantly and climbed back into bed. "Gorram gorgeous… naughty… little… V… gorramit." He rolled back out of bed, picked up the dainty panties and held them to his face… they were still warm.

Chapter 4

"So… how's River?" Kaylee asked hesitantly, stepping into the infirmary to check on her dearly loved Simon.

"Um, good," Simon replied, still facing River on the small bed, "Today is definitely one of her better days."

"Hi, Kaylee," River peeked around Simon's shoulder, "Mal and Inara are in love."

"Really?" Kaylee looked perturbed, "Love, you say? The captain?"

"Yeah," Simon said, turning around, "Apparently they've been lying to each other and themselves, and River here," he gave his kid sister a one armed hug, "Found my last bottle of Kortraphine from the Ariel rampage."

"Kortraphine, huh," Kaylee said in a kind of confused voice, "And, uh, what, exactly does that do?"

"It's the handy dandy truth candy!" River squealed excitedly.

"It forces the user to tell the truth about any questions asked," Simon informed her, "Alliance has been using it for years. I wasn't surprised when it turned up in the stock from the Ariel run."

"You haven't um…" Kaylee paused uneasily.

"Used it?" He asked, filling in the blank, "No, it was River's idea, I didn't see any harm in it, figured it might do the captain some good."

"I see…" Kaylee replied quietly, and then piped up, "Hey, me and River should go see what happened."

"They're in Mal's bunk, talking about last night," River said monotonously in a bored tone, then she jumped up and quipped, "But Inara's getting ready to leave, so we have to be quiet… and quick!"

"Mal, I really should get back," Inara said, sitting up, but leaving a hand on Mal's bare chest, "Your crew will be worried if the two of us go missing for the day."

"Yeah…" Mal replied, sitting up at her side, he flinched at the words 'get back'.

There was a knock at the door, and they both jumped up as quickly as they could, making themselves look like nothing had happened. The only thing missing when Inara climbed up the ladder and out into the hall was Mal's shirt. Kaylee and River snickered when he climbed up behind Inara with a school boy grin on his face and without a shirt, his suspenders hanging at his sides.

"So, captain," Kaylee started, "You look… dandy this morning."

"Really?" Mal replied contentedly, "thought so myself." He put his hands up in a motion to pop his suspenders, but blushed when he felt his bare chest.

"Mal, I honestly thought you were past this stage," Inara scoffed, reverting quickly back to her old self, "Ever since the lasseter thing with Saffron I thought you said you were going to stay fully clothed."

"It's my ship, I can walk around naked all I want," at that Mal bent down, took off his trousers, then turned and walked up to the bridge, "Morning, V, how are you?"

"Fine and dandy, captain, sir," Vera replied, her eyes fixed on the monitor, trying to ignore the naked man standing behind her.

"How many times have I got to tell you to stop calling me 'sir'?" he asked his voice tinged with irritation, "Only Zoë is allowed to annoy me in such a fashion."

"Never again, captain," she said in a bored tone, mulling over her night with Jayne in her head, then firmly added, "I promise."

"Good. Now, we need to set course for Haven," Mal continued as though nothing was wrong with his current nudity, "Jayne has a few errands he needs to run, and we all need to get a little R and R away from each other. I'm afraid if I'm on this boat much longer I may need to kill your dearly beloved."

"My who?" Vera asked, turning around to face Mal determinedly, "Me and Jayne are not… would not… captain, you've got a smutty mind!"

"I used to say those very same words to a certain Shepherd when he was on this very same boat," Mal said, then as he was turning to leave the bridge put in, "Also, I never said 'Jayne'." He left the bridge with a smirk on his face, and headed to the galley to make his morning rounds.


	4. Truth

Chapter 4: the Truth

"So… how's River?" Kaylee asked hesitantly, stepping into the infirmary to check on her dearly loved Simon.

"Um, good," Simon replied, still facing River on the small bed, "Today is definitely one of her better days."

"Hi, Kaylee," River peeked around Simon's shoulder, "Mal and Inara are in love."

"Really?" Kaylee looked perturbed, "Love, you say? The captain?"

"Yeah," Simon said, turning around, "Apparently they've been lying to each other and themselves, and River here," he gave his kid sister a one armed hug, "Found my last bottle of Kortraphine from the Ariel rampage."

"Kortraphine, huh," Kaylee said in a kind of confused voice, "And, uh, what, exactly does that do?"

"It's the handy dandy truth candy!" River squealed excitedly.

"It forces the user to tell the truth about any questions asked," Simon informed her, "Alliance has been using it for years. I wasn't surprised when it turned up in the stock from the Ariel run."

"You haven't um…" Kaylee paused uneasily.

"Used it?" He asked, filling in the blank, "No, it was River's idea, I didn't see any harm in it, figured it might do the captain some good."

"I see…" Kaylee replied quietly, and then piped up, "Hey, me and River should go see what happened."

"They're in Mal's bunk, talking about last night," River said monotonously in a bored tone, then she jumped up and quipped, "But Inara's getting ready to leave, so we have to be quiet… and quick!"

"Mal, I really should get back," Inara said, sitting up, but leaving a hand on Mal's bare chest, "Your crew will be worried if the two of us go missing for the day."

"Yeah…" Mal replied, sitting up at her side, he flinched at the words 'get back'.

There was a knock at the door, and they both jumped up as quickly as they could, making themselves look like nothing had happened. The only thing missing when Inara climbed up the ladder and out into the hall was Mal's shirt. Kaylee and River snickered when he climbed up behind Inara with a school boy grin on his face and without a shirt, his suspenders hanging at his sides.

"So, captain," Kaylee started, "You look… dandy this morning."

"Really?" Mal replied contentedly, "thought so myself." He put his hands up in a motion to pop his suspenders, but blushed when he felt his bare chest.

"Mal, I honestly thought you were past this stage," Inara scoffed, reverting quickly back to her old self, "Ever since the lasseter thing with Saffron I thought you said you were going to stay fully clothed."

"It's my ship, I can walk around naked all I want," at that Mal bent down, took off his trousers, then turned and walked up to the bridge, "Morning, V, how are you?"

"Fine and dandy, captain, sir," Vera replied, her eyes fixed on the monitor, trying to ignore the naked man standing behind her.

"How many times have I got to tell you to stop calling me 'sir'?" he asked his voice tinged with irritation, "Only Zoë is allowed to annoy me in such a fashion."

"Never again, captain," she said in a bored tone, mulling over her night with Jayne in her head, then firmly added, "I promise."

"Good. Now, we need to set course for Haven," Mal continued as though nothing was wrong with his current nudity, "Jayne has a few errands he needs to run, and we all need to get a little R and R away from each other. I'm afraid if I'm on this boat much longer I may need to kill your dearly beloved."

"My who?" Vera asked, turning around to face Mal determinedly, "Me and Jayne are not… would not… captain, you've got a smutty mind!"

"I used to say those very same words to a certain Shepherd when he was on this very same boat," Mal said, then as he was turning to leave the bridge put in, "Also, I never said 'Jayne'." He left the bridge with a smirk on his face, and headed to the galley to make his morning rounds.


	5. Full Frontal Confrontation

Chapter 5: Full Frontal Confrontations

"Captain, sir," Zoë said as she walked up behind the captain, holding back a snicker when Mal turned around, "Why'd we change course?"

"Figured we could use a little rest before we go unravel Badger's little…" Mal stuttered, at a loss for a word, "… what's the gorram word… ambiguity?"

"His _vagueness_, sir?" Zoë ventured, unsure of Mal's intent for the word.

"Vagueness?" he asked, "I didn't say that, I said ambiguity, you know uncertainty, mystery, confusion."

"_Right_," she replied, unconvinced, "So… we're going to Haven because…"

"We've got respects to pay," Mal said formally, "The colony's built back up nicely, from what I hear, figure we could lend a helping hand, do a bit of honest charity work, show Little V that we're not just a bunch of heartless, savage, petty criminals… that we're really quite warm and… fuzzy."

"_Fuzzy_, sir?" Zoë asked with a laugh hiding just behind her pearly whites.

"Yeah… Fuzzy" Mal said with a curt nod, as though solidifying the term in stone, then continued his streak throughout the ship.

He came next to the infirmary and nearly caused Simon to drop the bottle of whatever-the-hell-it-was and the syringe that he was drawing it into for a twitchy River.

"C-c-captain, are you…" Simon couldn't think of anything to say in such an instance.

"Hi, Mal," River covered for her brother who was locked in stunned silence, "Does Inara like you better without your pants on?"

"Doc, where does she get these ideas?" Mal asked, "Yesterday I was lying, and now this? Inara and I don't… she wouldn't… _I_ wouldn't…"

"_Right_," She replied conspicuously, "Just like she would _never_ sleep with a petty, doll thief."

"You're right about that one," Mal said trying to cover for himself; of course, River _is_ a reader, so it wasn't really helping him to lie.

"Well… captain…" Simon managed to splutter out, "It's been nice to see you, but River really needs to get her meds… so… if you don't mind…"

"Oh, of course, I understand," Mal said as he stepped out, and then continued on to Inara's shuttle.

He knocked on the door, and then asked to come in, in a completely un-Mal-like fashion, which quite surprised Inara, who was making plans. The formalities didn't stretch any further however, because Mal walked right in before Inara could turn him away or invite him in.

"Hello, Mal," Inara said, her eyes glued to the computer screen; now that it was no longer the middle of the night in Mal's bunk with alcohol, she was quite embarrassed to have the man that she loved standing in the middle of her room stark naked.

"Morning, Inara," he replied as he shut the door to the shuttle, "Can we talk?"

"Only as long as you don't bring up last night," she said, clicking on potential clients, eliminating others.

"Was I that bad?" Mal asked concernedly, "I honestly thought that it all went rather well."

"It wasn't _bad_…" Inara assured him, "I just don't want to discuss it right now."

"Inara, look at me," he said, taking a step toward her.

"I'd rather not," she said with a slight smile, keeping her eyes fixed on the monitor.

"Please, look at me," he pleaded and took two more steps toward her, now he was just a few feet away.

"Yes, Mal?" Inara turned to face him fully, trying to keep her eyes on his upper half.

"Do you still want me?" Mal asked, his eyes searching hers for a sign as to what she would say, he found none.

"Yes," she replied, standing up and going to him.

"And do you still love me?" he continued, taking her in his arms and then brushing her cheek with the back of his hand.

"Yes," she said, tilting her face into the gentle caress.

"May I kiss you?" he asked, leaning forward to take the kiss once granted permission.

"Yes," she once again replied, also leaning forward to give him command of her only too willing lips.

Just as had happened the previous night, Inara began to work her magic as she stepped slowly back toward her bed, bringing Mal with her; she lay down, with her loving captain above her. She slowly shrugged off the loose wrap she had about her and held Mal's face to hers in hope that the ecstasy would never end.

"Bleeding Hell! Don't sneak up on me like that, Jayne!" Vera cried out when Jayne came up and hugged her from behind as she was on her way back to her bunk.

"S-sorry, V," Jayne said very apologetically; what Zoë had said was true: Jayne wasn't acting like himself as of late.

"What is it?" she asked, seeing a sort of need in Jayne's eyes just before he looked down at the ground, What's wrong, luv?"

"I wanted to return these," he said, handing her the delicately laced black and pink panties, "It didn't feel right… keeping them like that."

"Are you sure you're okay?" Vera tried to get him to meet her gaze, but he had his eyes fixed on the toes of his boots, admiring the scuffs it seemed, finally she took his cheek and lifted his head to look at her all that she saw was sorrow and regret in those usually rambunctious hazel eyes.

"Fine," he replied, shrugging her away. He then turned and headed back toward his bunk with his head down and shoulders slumped; he looked like his spirit had been broken and he hadn't a single hope left in the 'verse.

"Mal, I love you," Inara softly whispered in his ear, tracing the contours of his jaw and forehead.

"Inara, I love you, too," Mal replied, one arm around her shoulders, the other across her stomach.

"Then we can't let this go too far," she explained, "Or else… one of us is going to get hurt… and I can't stand the thought of you getting hurt because of me."

"Inara, once again," he justified, "Let's enjoy it while it lasts."

"But if we get too far into this, it'll hurt even more to break it," Inara said, a lone tear raced down her flawless cheek.

Mal brushed the tear away, and held her closer; he couldn't stand to see her cry like that, it broke his heart. "Inara, don't cry now," he said, looking deep into her eyes, he saw emotion that couldn't be explained by words alone, "A time and a place for everything, but this isn't the time, and it's not the place."

She laughed, a soft, morose laugh that tore at his heartstrings all the more. Another tear fell, this time he let it run to her jaw before brushing it away, and then he held her cheek, caressing it with his thumb lovingly. She shuddered at a thought that he dared not even consider guessing: what would really happen to them in the end? He wanted it to go on forever, but the truth hit him like an Alliance cruiser running them down and striking them broadside; they would have to call it quits, and one of them, if not both, would suffer a permanently broken heart.

"Hey," Vera said when she heard Zoë coming up to the bridge.

"How's everything up here?" Zoë asked, taking a seat in Wash's chair and reclining a bit.

"Going good," Vera replied, she pushed a small, flashing green button, then turned to face her guest; of course, Zoë was more at home on the bridge than she was, but it was still her home none the less.

"Something wrong, _mei-mei_?" Zoë asked, looking for something that was usually apparent in Little V's eyes; but that sense of adventure that usually emanated from every pore just wasn't there.

"No," was her sullen answer, her normally bright blue-green eyes seemed dull and careless, but not carefree, as was the case on most days.

"You know, Jayne really has changed for you," Zoë said matter-of-factly, "All he wants is for you to be happy here."

"What?" Vera looked up in shock, "He wants me…?"

"To be happy," Zoë finished for her.

"Wow, I never really thought about it that way," she reflected back to Jayne when they'd first met, and then to how he had been that morning, he had apologized so whole heartedly, it wasn't Jayne-like, "But it wouldn't work between us… ever."

"That's how me and Wash got started," Zoë reminisced softly, thinking back to that first day out in the black with the funny man with a big mustache, he showed her affection, she pushed him away, didn't trust him, then later married him, against her captain's wishes, and there she sat in his chair, twelve months after his death, staring into eyes that mirrored her own in confusion, sorrow, and sudden appreciation of the man she'd been denying for so long. "Sweetie, the sooner you realize that it will work, the better."

"But how can I know?" Little V pleaded, tears suddenly in her eyes.

"You never really do," was Zoë's reassurance, "Love is something that has to be wild, and passionate, dangerous even, especially if it's with Jayne."

"But…wait…" she was at a loss for words, lost in thought, "How did you know about… us?"

"Captain told me," Zoë stood up and put a friendly hand on Vera's shoulder and looked into her eyes like a sister, "And I really do think he's right." Then she left Vera to her thoughts.


	6. Untitled

Chapter 6: (untitled)

"Mal, don't go," Inara pleaded as Mal rose to leave her shuttle. He had thought she was asleep and figured that he should go get clothed and find out how much headway they'd made in the direction of Haven before returning to Inara's bed to keep her close, warm, and safe.

"Inara, I have to," he answered, coming back over to the bedside to hold Inara's face in his palm one last time, "The crew'll get a mite bit worried with me gone so long, and Jayne will try to take over, and it would be chaos to clean up."

"Just… one last kiss?" she asked, "Before you go around streaking again?"

"One last kiss," he replied, taking her chin and lifting her face to his so that he could give her one final kiss before he left, "I'll see you tonight."

"I can't wait," Inara said, a small smile tickled the edges of her mouth, "I really do love you."

"I really do love you too," he whispered in her ear, then turned, and with one last fleeting glance, left the shuttle, stark naked.

"Simon, why did we leave?" River asked of her brother as he tucked her in to bed. The newest medication tended to make the young girl drowsy very early.

_She really isn't a young girl so much anymore, she turns 19… sometime this year… this month… maybe?_ Simon thought to himself, then replied, "Some things are best forgotten, _mei-mei_."

"I have dreams," she said looking deep into Simon's eyes, then repeated, "I have dreams… and they're not mine… not since Miranda…" her voice trailed off, and she seemed to look off into the distance, past him, looking for home.

"Oh, River," Simon drew his sister to his chest and gave her a hug.

Her senses were overwhelmed; the green tea scent that hung about Simon smelled just like their father always had. The shirt that Simon was wearing had been a gift from their mother the Christmas before he had come to rescue her. And the silver necklace that she had discovered in one of the drawers in her dresser had been a gift from both of their parents before she left for the Academy. She had forgotten it the day she'd left and thought that she'd never see it again; but here she sat, wearing the necklace, thinking about being the normal girl. She wept as she thought of these things and many more.

"Its all my fault you had to leave," she sobbed into Simon's shoulder, "the little birds told me that they'd bring you for me if I asked them nicely… but I couldn't do it… and then, two by two; they came, and went into the boat, waiting for the flood. But it never came. But _you_ came. Everyone said you'd never come, that you were busy. That you didn't care." A tremor went through her body as she thought back to the Academy. "The voices in my head whisper of things I can't know. Of old bound and gagged dolls and dark places I've never been… all the dark places I don't want to go to again… Simon, I'm scared, always scared."

"I know, _mei_-_mei_, I know," Simon held her tighter, then began whispering a song in her ear,_ "You looked out this morning and the sun was gone… turned on some music to start your day… then lost yourself in a familiar song… and the lyrics showed you the way…"_

River looked up and laughed, "That's not the way it goes, silly," she then took up a different chorus, _"There's a hole in my sky… and I'm sure I don't know why… the rain keeps falling… right through my hole in the sky… out walking the dog, and I look up… a shooting star falls down through… it comes down and lands in front of you… it fell right through the hole in my sky… I'm sure there's a reason for my hole in the sky."_ She leaned her head against Simon's shoulder again and heaved a deep sigh, then fell asleep humming her song.

Zoë tossed and turned that night, unable to sleep in the bed that used to be so warm and inviting, now it seemed cold and empty. So had been the case for the past twelve months, but that night was the worse. Every time that she closed her eyes, images of Reavers and spears and leaves on the wind danced through her mind, taunting her with the fact that Hogan Washburn really was gone. How she missed him on those cold and lonely nights. Usually she would go up to the bridge, sit in his chair, and stare out into the black, all wrapped up in the grief of losing her long time lover.

She finally rolled out of bed and pulled on her boots. She walked up the steps to the bridge, and sat in the chair that Wash had spent most of his time in. She missed him more than ever that night; perhaps it was because it had been just over twelve months since it had happened, perhaps because it was their wedding anniversary, and that year they had planned to renew their vows.

"Hey, Zoë," Vera said softly as she crept in, trying not to startle the mourning and distressed woman crying by the light of the console, "Something wrong, _luv_?"

"No…" Zoë sniffed and wiped the tears from her cheek, "I just… miss him is all."

"Oh, Zoë," Vera crouched down beside her and gave her a hug, "It's going to be okay… you're so strong… you'll get through this."

They both sat there in silence, meditating on the past and thinking hard on the future. There wasn't a soul on the ship who understood either of them better than each other. For Zoë, it was like looking at her past, to Vera, it was her connection to her future.

"Little V, you've got to be strong," Zoë finally broke the morose silence, "You've got to hold to your beliefs, that's what Shepherd Book always told me, 'hold strong in the face of danger and sorrow and you'll always come out in front'."

"He was a wise man," Vera commented, "Jayne talks about him all the time; so does Mal. I just wish I could have met him."

"You'd have liked him," Zoë replied, "everyone did; even the captain."

The captain made his way down the walkway to Inara's shuttle. Upon opening the door he made the discovery that she had indeed taken to bed early, and was sound asleep. He kicked off his boots and undressed, then climbed into the bed with her. He held her to his chest and listened to her regular breathing. Every moment he was with her, his adoration for the woman in his arms grew more and more, until he felt that his heart might shatter if she was removed from him. Life was unimaginable without her; she really did complete him. The honest business woman with the petty thief; life was good so long as she was in his arms. He fell asleep soon after.

"Mal?" Inara asked, looking up at the man who held her so lovingly in his arms.

No answer.

"Mal?" she asked again, stroking his chest lightly.

"Hmm, what?" he woke up with a start, then looked down at the woman in his arms, "Inara, what're you doing in here?"

"It's _my _shuttle, Mal," she replied, "What're you doing in here?"

"Oh… um… I'm not sure…" he said groggily, "I'm sure I had a reason. Why, am I suddenly not welcome anymore?"

"No, it's not that," she guaranteed him, "I just wasn't expecting you is all."

"I told you that I would see you tonight," he told her, suddenly remembering their previous conversation, "And it's tonight, so… here I am."

"Oh," Inara stifled a yawn, "alright." Then she nestled closer and fell back asleep, as did Mal.


	7. Night Before Morning After

Chapter 7: Night Before; Morning After

"Morning," Vera said through a long yawn, she sat up and stretched then looked around expecting to be in Jayne's bunk, but she found that she and Zoë had ended up in the same bunk, "How…?"

"Hmm?" Zoë mumbled, still half asleep, "What'd you say, _mei-mei_?"

"Zoë, what happened last night?" Vera asked as she glanced around to get her bearings.

"I…" Zoë muttered something in Chinese, "… don't… what?"

"Zoë, it's Little V," Vera clarified, suddenly wide awake, "What happened last night?"

"Wash!" Zoë suddenly sat straight up.

"What about him?" Vera inquired.

"What?"

"You said something about Wash," Vera told her.

"I was dreaming…" Zoë replied uncertainly, "…I think… wait… what are you doing in here?"

"I really don't know," V said, "I don't remember anything other than our talk on the bridge, nothing after it though."

"That's strange," Zoë remarked, glancing around at her bunk, looking for some sign as to what had happened, but everything was in its place, nothing out of the ordinary at all.

"Well…I need to go pilot this boat… so… if you'll excuse me, I'll see you at breakfast, Zoë."

"Yeah… breakfast." Zoë laid back and pondered the previous night.

"_Jayne, a time will come when you're willing to give everything for one little thing," Book remarked when he came across Jayne lovingly polishing his prize piece, Vera, "and that day shouldn't be too far off."_

"_Preacher, how do you know that?" Jayne asked, turning to face the cryptic Shepherd._

"_Not sure, really," was the answer, "sometimes you can just tell, like the calm before the storm."_

"_Like… a tornado?" _

"_Not so much," replied Book with a small chortle, "something bigger, more life changing."_

"_Like Wash crashing the boat?"_

"_Nothing like that," another chortle ensued, "it'll effect everyone, I'm sure, but not that drastically."_

"_Preacher-man, I would love to know where you get this stuff."_

"_I'm sure you would," Book replied to him with a final chuckle, then left the galley._

Jayne woke in a cold sweat; his dream about his last conversation with the Shepherd brought up emotions that were better bottled up and kept under the surface. Things like remorse, regret, and profound lament… and also more loathing for the Alliance operative that had slaughtered Book and so many innocent others. He checked his gun rack to make sure his beloved _Vera_ was still up there, just waiting to be taken down and shoved in somebody's face. Then he thought of another Vera, who had pushed him away, didn't trust him, and thought that they would never work out. It didn't help his emotions any more, if anything, the thought of her leaving him the previous morning brought more remorse, regret, and a need for repentance. If only the Shepherd was there for his confession.

"Mal, I need to go," Inara rolled onto her side and put a hand on his chest, "Back to Sihnon."

"Why?" he looked at her blankly, "Something wrong?"

"No, it's just… I need to get back," she averted her eyes to his abdomen, on which she was drawing hearts with her dainty fingertips.

"For how long?"

"I'm not sure," she shook her head faintly, "I just need to talk to some people."

"Well, I'll see what we can do," Mal touched her soft lips with his and then smiled, "Your wish is my command."

"What?" she laughed ever so slightly.

"Your fish… died in the… sand?" he tried to correct himself sarcastically.

"Oh, of _course_." She laughed again and then sighed dreamily, "I'm going to miss all of this. The ship, the crew, the less than sophisticated meals, the…"

"Captain?" Mal asked hopefully.

"Of course," she assured him before kissing his cheek, "_my_ captain."

"_Simon," Kaylee stepped slowly into the doctor's quarters._

"_Yes, Kaylee?" he asked, turning from his bed as he buttoned up a crisp white shirt._

"_Stop," she put a hand on his chest to keep him from buttoning the shirt up all the way, "Please?"_

_He stayed his hand for a moment, then as if reading Kaylee's mind, began to unbutton the shirt, then slipped it off. The muscles in his shoulders rippled as he drew her into a close hug. He smelled like green tea and latex gloves._

"_Simon, I have a question for you," Kaylee stated, looking into his silvery blue eyes._

"_Sure," he replied, "Anything."_

"_Did you ever consider being a gynecologist?" she asked with a smile._

"_Not really," Simon said, returning her smile, "But lately I've been regretting that decision more and more."_

_She laughed a soft, musical laugh that lifted Simon's heart , and also made him wish that River wasn't asleep on the bed beside them._

_He held her for a while longer, and then broke the peaceful tranquility._

"_Kaylee," he said, looking into her joyous brown eyes, "will you marry me?" he pulled an elegant ring from his pants' pocket and offered it to her._

"_Me… marry… you?" she asked, ogling at the stunning platinum band that had a single rose with a diamond center..._

"_If not, I understand," Simon assured her, "But it really would mean the world to me."_

"_Oh, Simon," Kaylee whimpered, then looked up at him, "I don't know what to say…"_

"_Well," he said melodramatically, "You __**could**__ say 'yes', but that's just my jaded opinion on the matter."_

_She laughed again, then fell against his warm chest in silent sobs of joy, then looked back up and whispered one word, "Yes."_

_The kiss that proceeded was long, luxurious, and closely examined by River who hadn't been asleep at all. Simon held Kaylee close, as though letting her go would cause him to wake up from an all too beautiful dream, and find himself at his desk back at home, pouring over a letter from River, trying to figure out what she was saying. This reality was too good to be real, so he figured that it had to be a dream…_

Kaylee woke with a start, it had all been just a dream, one that would never come true it seemed. She and Simon might have shared a bunk for a little while, but it never seemed to last, because River would wake up shrieking about something, and Simon would have to go attend to her, and make sure she was okay for a few nights, then the flame they had kindled would have been nearly gone. All he really needed to do was give her a look, brush his lips across her neck, and whisper something sweet and then she'd be his for the night, but the following morning she would always wake up alone in a cold bed.

"I guess I'm just not meant to have real relationships," she muttered to herself and she got dressed, "least not since Bester…"

She thought back to that first day on Serenity, in the engine room, on her back she had found the source of all Mal's problems, and it wasn't the secondary grav boot either. She showed Mal and her would-be lover the real problem, the reg couple, it tended to "gum up the works, so why even have one?" she had justified, and got the job that same day, so long as she wanted; so long as she could keep Serenity in the sky. That had been the deal, and she had held true. For Simon, it was so long as River didn't cause too much trouble and he could keep the crew in good repair, which he kept to as well as possible.

"Maybe I should just get off at Haven," she wondered aloud as she pulled on a tight, green tee-shirt and her khaki pants, "Give me some time to think outside of the ship." _But Mal does need me,_ her thoughts screamed at her, soon to be replaced by, _although he could probably find a new mechanic while in the Southdown Abbey._

She slowly rolled out of bed and got dressed for another long day.


	8. Heated Events

Chapter 8: Heated Events

"Jayne!" Vera called out, pounding on the bunk's tempered steel door, "Jayne, we need to talk!"

"Come in," was the hushed response, Jayne had just woken up from his dream about the Shepherd and was still getting all those feelings bottled up and hidden away in the midst of several toxic mixtures of multiple alcoholic beverages.

Vera opened up the hatch to the industrial room and climbed down to meet her man halfway across the floor. She collapsed into sobs once she reached his arms. She couldn't stop the tears from coming, and all Jayne could do was stroke her hair and tell her it would be okay.

"W-what's wrong?" Jayne asked after giving her a kiss on the forehead, "What happened?"

"Nothing," she curled against him more, "I'm just… being a total prat…"

"Babe," he held her closer and tighter, "No you're not…"

"Yes, I am!" she looked up at Jayne defiantly, "you may not see it, but I do… I hurt you… and I'm sorry!"

"Oh, is that what this is all about?" Jayne asked defensively, "You think you hurt my feelings? Do you remember when we met? You were trying to kill me… and _I_ knocked you out…"

"And then carried me into this very bunk," she continued for him, "bandaged my wound, and took my britches _and_ my knickers."

"Hey, I couldn't help myself," he justified.

"Then you forced yourself upon me," she stated blatantly; looking at him callously, he shrugged it off, "And then Mal and River walked in…" she laughed, the frown on her face had shattered into a beautiful smile.

"Oh god," Jayne remembered the day like it had been yesterday

"_Jayne!" Mal called from the cargo bay, "Jayne, we need Vera!"_

"_But Mal! I just cleaned her, and oiled her, and…" Jayne began, only to be cut off by Mal._

"_I don't really care," Mal yelled back at Jayne, "I need you to go make this last drop for me."_

"_Gorram…" Jayne began a long string of Chinese cursing as he came down the stairs wielding Vera, "Why do _I _have to go?"_

"_Because you're the only one intimidating enough to pull this one off," Mal said once Jayne had reached him and stopped cursing, "Besides, chances are you'll get to shoot someone."_

"_Shiny," Jayne said with a smile, stroking Vera's trigger lightly, "It's been a long time since I got to shoot someone."_

"_Good. You'll be taking shuttle two, rendezvous in fifteen minutes, so you should leave about… say… five minutes ago."_

"_Thanks, Mal," Jayne replied with a glare, then jogged back up the stairs with another string of cursing._

_The flight to the rendezvous had been uneventful, but nothing could have prepared Jayne for what he was up against next. He had almost landed on top of the guys to whom he was delivering the famed wobbly headed dolls._

"_You got my money?" Jayne asked accusingly as he walked out of the shuttle carrying half his weapon stash about him._

"_Your money?" the closest thug asked, "This money is for a Mr. Reynolds, not a… mister… army… guy…"_

"_Well, Captain Reynolds sent me to make the drop," Jayne explained, "So you'd best hand over the coin and get your boy scouts to get the cargo to your ship."_

"_We're not giving this money to anyone but Malcolm Reynolds," the thug replied._

"_Well, I can compensate," Jayne said cocking Vera, shot down the first thug, then took down a couple of his boy scouts for good measure._

_Soon there were guys pouring out of the ship and coming at Jayne from every conceivable angle, then to add to his problems, a shuttle landed not far from them, and ten more guys came out of it. Any other day, Jayne would have been enjoying the little game of "how many thugs can I peg in a minute." But that day his head just wasn't in the game because he had seen the woman that had just stepped off the latest edition to the fight. She had caught Jayne's eye, and he couldn't stop thinking about getting into one-on-one against her. He called Mal and Zoë for back up, and had those two beside him after nearly twenty minutes of shooting, stabbing, and grenade throwing. He was down to eight bullets, completely out of grenades, and the switch blade he had impaled a thug with was lost in the tide of adversaries. Once Mal and Zoë had cleared a path, Jayne made his way toward the woman standing by her shuttle, tossing a cruel knife in the air and catching it. She was waiting._

_When she saw Jayne approaching, she caught the knife by the blade, ready to throw it once he was close enough. Jayne dropped Vera then got out his big knife and mirrored the blonde haired beauty. _

_She threw hers first, catching Jayne in the left bicep. He removed it and let out an agonized groan. He threw his and got the broad in the thigh. The battle was on. She pulled the knife out and threw it on the ground, then looked Jayne up and down one last time before slowly stalking toward him, her every move mirrored by the large, manly Jayne. When they finally met in hand to hand combat, they wrestled each other to the ground. Finally Jayne found an opening and punched her out._

_He sat back a bit and examined the young woman he had just knocked out. She had a soft porcelain face, delicate but strongly built. Her skin was barely tanned, sandy blonde hair, and a tall, semi-muscular build. To Jayne, she was perfection, the fifth element, and the one for him._

_Mal and Zoë came up behind Jayne to take a look at his final challenge for the day._

"_Well, this is shiny" Mal finally said, startling Jayne, who had been tracing the soft lips of the mysterious warrior woman as though he were caught in a trance, "We got the coin, the cargo, a ship, and a shuttle at our disposal. I think this is a good day." Mal strode toward the offending ship to see what there was to make of it. Zoë stayed behind._

"_Was she difficult?"_

"_Zoë, come on, she's a girl," Jayne replied matter-of-factly._

"_Is that supposed to mean something?" Zoë asked firmly._

"_No."_

_Zoë left to join the captain, and Jayne was faced with the task of either leaving this beauty in the dirt, or finding a way to get her on the ship…_

"God, Jayne," Vera muttered as she held her arms around his neck, "why didn't you just leave me there? It would have been so much better for the both of us."

"No, it wouldn't have," Jayne retorted as he looked into her ocean coloured eyes, "it would have meant that I would have to live my life not knowing the woman that I had left behind."

"Maybe then you wouldn't have gotten hurt."

"I didn't get hurt!" Jayne shouted, taking a step back, "I'm fine! See me walking, talking, being my bad self… you didn't hurt me…" he stepped back to her, "too much…" then put his head on Vera's shoulder and began sucking on her neck.

"Jayne!" she squealed playfully, "What are you doing?"

"What's it feel like?" he asked, pulling back and taking off his shirt.

"It feels like we're getting ready to do something dirty," Vera replied with a vast smile.

"Then so be it," Jayne grabbed her and kissed her resolutely.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and held tight. Jayne lifted her up in his arms and deepened their mouths' embrace, licking the roof of her damp orifice. He practically threw her down on the bed before he unzipped his pants.

Vera, being she was already wearing so little simply lay there awaiting the oncoming storm of orgasmic pleasure. Jayne initially tackled her as though he were wrestling an adversary to the ground, and then decided to soften up a bit. He slowed his heavy duty grinding and slid down her sweaty body, pausing to make love to her belly button with his tongue. After a few moments of that activity, he continued his journey down to her lower extremities.

Her head jerked up when he found her latest piercing. He played about it gently with his tongue and teeth. Vera was glad she'd decided to just forget the lacy knickers that morning when she felt Jayne's tongue slip inside and explore her hot, wet sex, exciting her even more. _All the time that would've been wasted getting those damn things off_, she thought, barely able to get an audible sound out in the midst of her erotic pleasure.

Jayne's lips brushed her ecstatic bundle of nerves, and Vera let out a shriek. This didn't slow his mouth's movements, both inside and out.

Just when she thought she wouldn't be able to take any more of Jayne's favourite pastime, he came up for a breath and a kiss. She slipped one arm around his lower back, then reached a hand down and stroked the tender skin between his thigh and his fully erect length. She withdrew her hand as she felt him slip inside. Jayne then took hold of her tiny waist and pressed her to him.

"Jayne…" she barely managed to say his name, and couldn't say any more.

"Mmmmm-hmm?" his momentum grew faster with his suddenly increased provocation.

She couldn't manage more than a moan as she felt Jayne's hand slip under her shirt and begin massaging her heaving breasts. None of her previous fantasies could even compare with the current events going on inside the close quarters of Jayne's bunk. She felt her second wind hit with sudden bliss; it spread from her pierced navel, reaching all the way down, and ending with a painfully pleasing tingling down in 'grand central station'. Jayne sensed the increase in orgasmic energy and took full advantage of it; he removed himself, and then slipped in two fingers in his stead. Vera's hands began massaging him everywhere that hurt, from the delicate underside of his now sore erection, to his aching back.

"Is… …my… …Jayne… …getting… …tired?" she managed to gasp in between shocks of raw energy shooting up her spine as she worked with Jayne's rhythmic finger motions.

"Where the hell is that girl?" Mal ran through the ship searching for Vera, "the one time that I _need_ her, and she decides to take a coffee break."

"Hi, captain," Kaylee looked down about something, "Looking for someone?"

"Yeah, actually," he examined her closely, _something's wrong_, "I'm looking for our _gorram_ pilot."

"Oh, last I saw her, she was going into Jayne's bunk," Kaylee shrugged and stepped past Mal.

"I'm going to kill one of them some day," he sighed then walked over to Jayne's bunk and rapped on it loudly.

"Just a sec!" Vera called breathlessly.

"Where'd they go?" she asked Jayne quietly, searching in the folds of the tousled sheets.

"What?" Jayne sat up further to help in the search.

"My knickers."

He took her shoulder firmly, "You weren't wearing any."

"Right!" she pulled on her khaki skirt then climbed up the ladder and out into the hall.

Mal rocked back on his heels and stared at the blonde before him. Her hair was a mess, and her lipstick had gotten all over her face.

"Yes, captain?" she asked with a dazed smile on her face.

"Change of course, _again_," he crossed his arms, "Inara needs to get back to Sihnon, ASAP."

"Okay," Vera started to go up to the bridge.

"On-board relationships don't really work," Mal called after her, "too much confusion. I had to tell Wash the same thing. Don't let it happen again."

She turned around to face the captain, a stunned look across her visage, "Yes, sir."


	9. Parting of Ways

4

Chapter 9: Parting of Ways

"Well, I guess this is good bye, then?" Inara was seated in the common area between Kaylee and Vera.

"Don't say that," Kaylee put a hand on her chest and held back a sob, "You'll be back. Cap'n is working on getting some better jobs, so you can stay in business while we work."

"Yeah," Vera put in comfortingly, "We'll all be together again soon; just you wait."

"I'm sure," Inara tried on a smile once she wiped away her tears, "I'm going to miss you all."

"No you won't," Mal walked in silently, "You'll be so caught up in your work, the time will fly between clients."

"Thank you _so_ much, Mal," Inara turned and gave him a well concealed wink, "And good luck to you, what with all the dolls hanging around the ship."

"Yeah, that's going to be fun explaining to Badger," he rolled his eyes at the thought of the Titan Colony native in his 'fine hat', "_After_ we drop you off, and make our little trip to Haven… then we'll go back to Persephone…"

A claxon began ringing from the front of the ship.

"Dear god, what ever could that be?" Vera looked around fearfully, "We're going to bloody well crash, yeah? Who the hell is flying the thing?"

Everyone looked at her expectantly.

"Oh, right… little old me…I guess I better go…" she shrugged then ran off to the bridge.

"Inara," Mal approached her as she was on her way back to her shuttle. He put a hand on her shoulder.

She turned to face him, "Yes, captain?"

"The shuttle's yours."

"The- - oh… right… thanks," she began to turn back to the door of her shuttle.

"That's not all," he followed her in and shut the door, "You're coming back, right?"

"I don't know, Mal," she sat down on the bed and began tracing the intricate embroidery on the comforter, "I really don't. I mean, I want to, but I just don't know."

"Please, come back," he took her hand in his and knelt down on the floor in front of her, "We need you here. Like, who else would keep Kaylee out of trouble, and keep Jayne in his bunk, and… and… well… all your things are here… besides, why would you want to leave _Serenity_?"

"Let me guess, you got stabbed, right there?" Inara touched his side where he had been injured long before by one of her previous clients, "I saw."

"Um… not recently, but I'll do it if it'll make you come back sooner," he held her gaze intently, "Still, why would you want to leave?"

"I don't, but I have to," she explained, "Mal, I've been putting this off for over a year. Sometimes you just have to let go."

"Inara, don't do this," Mal pleaded, "Just… don't."

"I'll be back, I promise," she squeezed his hand with hers then withdrew and went over to her console, "Sometime."

"Good… so… any final requests?" he got up from his knees and took a seat on the bed.

"Just one," Inara smiled enticingly, "May I have the last dance?"

"There she goes," Zoë muttered as she stood beside Vera on the bridge.

"Yep, we'll see her again though, right?" Vera turned to Zoë, "Sometime?"

"Of course, that woman can't get enough of the captain," she laughed then took a seat, "And he could never get enough of her."

"Do you think that maybe they…"

"I'm sure they have… once or twice," Zoë shrugged and continued to watch the shuttle as it shrank into the distance.

"Wow," Vera shook her head and sat down as well, "They're good at hiding it."

"Nah, you just need to know what to look for," a smile spread across her face, "Same way we could tell you and Jayne were."

"Right, about that…"

"I don't need to know… and I don't really _want_ to know," Zoë looked at her, an assuring glimmer to her brown eyes, "Some things are best left unsaid."

Epilogue- three weeks later:

"Badger, here's your cargo, where's my coin?" Mal crossed his arms and shifted his weight to his left foot, rocking back on the right.

"I told you already, paid off the other bloke in your stead," Badger cocked an eyebrow, "Although, I will take this shipment off your hands. At a discounted price of course."

"Some is better than none, I suppose," Mal replied, "Not that I'm happy with it… but it's better than nothing."

"Good, here you are," Badger threw him a bag of platinum coins, "My men will take it from here."

"Okay," Mal turned to walk away from the piled up crates.

"By the way, I've got another job for you," Badger called after him, "Its more of the dolls, need them dropped over on Sihnon, think you can handle it?"

"With one hand tied behind my back," he spun on his heel and re-approached the other smuggler, "Figuratively speaking of course."

"Good, crates are behind bar," Badger gave him a grungy smile and walked away.

"Great… _dolls_," Mal muttered and strolled back to _Serenity_.

A/N: And here endeth an era. Not just an end, the -eth gives it meaning. Review or die...or you know, not.

(Be sure to read the invigorating sequel, "Sounds Like SciFi" written by the genius writing team known as Peroxide and Harkness)

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